


Her Oregon

by RootsArrow (SparklingDarkAngel)



Series: From The Ashes They Rose [2]
Category: Person Of Interest - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Background John Reese/Harold Finch, Domesticity, F/F, POV Root (Person of Interest), Post-Season/Series 05 Finale, Root | Samantha Groves Lives, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-05
Updated: 2019-10-05
Packaged: 2020-11-24 11:53:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20907233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SparklingDarkAngel/pseuds/RootsArrow
Summary: “I’m going to get to Oregon,” Hanna had always said when Samantha asked her why she continued to play that stupid game. Root didn’t understand then, but now she was starting to think that maybe it wasn’t so stupid, reaching towards the valley no matter how many times she failed.Root and Shaw go apartment hunting.





	Her Oregon

**Author's Note:**

> For those who haven’t read Rise From The Ashes:
> 
> •With The Machine’s help, Root faked her death to push Harold into action
> 
> •John made it off that rooftop, albeit badly injured

Root was not a sentimental person, and yet she found herself overcome with emotion as she walked into the bare apartment with Sameen by her side, led by an overly-enthusiastic real estate agent. Her hand laced with Sameen’s, it all just felt so normal. Root was not a normal person either. She never had been, even when it was just her and Hanna against the world. After Hanna’s death, she became a nomad, forever wandering the Earth but never finding. An emptiness rested inside her, one she didn’t even know was there until The Machine found her and brought her into Her circle of allies. 

The agent rambled on about prices, but money would be know issue. The Machine would provide for all of their needs, as She took care of her own. What really impressed Root was the warmth of the place. Her last apartment when she had been in hiding had felt so cold. Trapped inside with no contact from her friends, she had begun to slip into a deep depression. But here, sunlight flooded the room from the window overlooking Central Park, and Sameen stood by her side, resting her head on her shoulder. 

“What do you think, Root?” Sameen asked her in that soft, affectionate tone reserved just for her. To an outsider, Sameen might have sounded emotionless, but Root had memorized the subtle inflections in her voice that conveyed the emotions she didn’t know how to describe. 

“It’s perfect,” Root answered, smiling down at her loved one. 

It had been Harry who convinced her to leave the old subway. “This isn’t healthy for you, Miss Groves!” he insisted. Frankly, Root thought he was just tired of seeing her dirty laundry scattered all over their secret base of operations. But then again, this was Harry, and he did have a big heart. 

“Someone needs to look after her,” Root argued. 

“I am in no danger,” the familiar, electronic voice sounded in her ear. “Samaratin is gone, and the government has no idea I survived.”

Root hesitated for a moment, considering Her words. “And you promise to call me if you see anything that looks even remotely suspicious?” she asked. 

“I promise,” She answered. 

“Even John has agreed to stay with me at Professor Whistler’s house after his body is done healing,” Harold added. “Plus, I’m sure Miss Shaw would appreciate more than that old, springy mattress of yours. I know she sleeps here every night too.”

That sealed the deal. While The Machine was her God, Sameen was her Love and the one she would do anything for. The war was over. It was time to move on. When Root proposed the idea to Sameen of the two of them finding an apartment together, the other woman didn’t even hesitate before saying yes. 

“We’ll take it,” Sameen announced. 

The real estate agent beamed at them. “Great!” she exclaimed. “I’ll get the paperwork ready, and you can move in by tonight!”

And so the nomad settled down, happy to have the place to return to with Sameen night after night of working for The Machine. Sameen reassumed her old alias “Sameen Gray”, and The Machine assigned Root a completely new alias: “Thea Flower”, brilliant IT student intern for Professor Whistler, and Miss Gray’s doting girlfriend. 

That first night laying in bed with Sameen in their new home was bliss, an emotion previously unknown to Root. In a tangle of sheets and limbs, Root didn’t know it was even possible to be this happy. All her life she had been wandering, and she’d thought she was happy then with no purpose and no one who meant anything to her. Now she knew how wrong she’d been. 

“What are you thinking about?” Sameen asked curiously, not turning around to face the woman spooning her. She was quite comfortable where she was. 

Root smiled. She did a lot more of that these days. “I’m just thinking about how good it is to be home.”

Sameen huffed with gentle laughter. “You’re a dork. I love you.”

“I love you too, Sam,” Root replied, the words rolling so easily off her tongue. The truth was everything was easier with Sameen. 

From the foot of the bed, Bear groaned. Root giggled. “And of course we love you too, Bear.”

Bear sighed happily, and within a few minutes the couple could hear his not-so-gentle snores. In some ways, it was a comfort, knowing she was safe and loved. 

“I’m going to get to Oregon,” Hanna had always said when Samantha asked her why she continued to play that stupid game. Hanna had been a dreamer with big ideas; a candle burning to hot to last, snuffed out before her time. Root didn’t understand then, but now she was starting to think that maybe it wasn’t so stupid, reaching towards the valley no matter how many times she failed. It was beautiful in a way that was distinctly Hanna. She just wished her friend had lived long enough to see the valley. 

Here, laying in bed with Sameen and Bear, knowing The Machine was watching over her, was her Oregon. This was the valley she’d been reaching for time and time again, befriending computers instead of people. Like Hanna, she kept falling, but she got back up again and fought. 

“Goodnight Sam,” Root whispered as she closed her eyes. “Goodnight Bear.”

She was done wandering The Oregon Trail now. She was home.


End file.
